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Vietnam

"I'm happy with all our Vietnam shows -- probably because I’m always so ludicrously happy to be there. I could just watch the B-roll from those shows all day. It’s a good place to work, a good place to eat. A good place to be." -- Tony Bourdain9601280

"I'm happy with all our Vietnam shows -- probably because I’m always so ludicrously happy to be there. I could just watch the B-roll from those shows all day. It’s a good place to work, a good place to eat. A good place to be." -- Tony Bourdain

Beirut

Beirut

"The 2006 Beirut show obviously holds a special place in the memories of all who were involved. Like the war that broke out around us, it happened unexpectedly. That experience changed those of us who were there. And it changed subsequent shows. We never, from that point on, forgot how arbitrary life and death can be, and how harsh life can be for the people we leave behind when we head safely home with our cameras." - Tony Bourdain9601280

"The 2006 Beirut show obviously holds a special place in the memories of all who were involved. Like the war that broke out around us, it happened unexpectedly. That experience changed those of us who were there. And it changed subsequent shows. We never, from that point on, forgot how arbitrary life and death can be, and how harsh life can be for the people we leave behind when we head safely home with our cameras." - Tony Bourdain

Cleveland: Harvey Pekar

Cleveland: Harvey Pekar

"Harvey Pekar. We wanted to celebrate and step inside the life of Cleveland’s greatest chronicler in the style of American Splendor. It took a lot of work and pre-production to do that. But I’m very proud of the result. Not least because I believe so fervently that the late, great Pekar was a uniquely American, wonderful and important man whose life deserves celebrating and remembering. My love for Cleveland is absolute. I may not love it for the reasons some might like -- but I love it just the same. I am honored that Harvey, may he rest in peace, liked the show." -- Tony Bourdain9601280

"Harvey Pekar. We wanted to celebrate and step inside the life of Cleveland’s greatest chronicler in the style of American Splendor. It took a lot of work and pre-production to do that. But I’m very proud of the result. Not least because I believe so fervently that the late, great Pekar was a uniquely American, wonderful and important man whose life deserves celebrating and remembering. My love for Cleveland is absolute. I may not love it for the reasons some might like -- but I love it just the same. I am honored that Harvey, may he rest in peace, liked the show." -- Tony Bourdain

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, particularly the scene where a third-generation noodle maker practices his craft, rocking painfully and disfiguringly on his bamboo pole under the faded photos of his parents, encompassed everything I believe to be good and true about people who choose to make food the very best they can. It was a beautifully shot and edited sequence -- one of our very best. If our show is principally in the business of celebrating cooks -- wherever they may cook -- and in whatever circumstances -- then this was as good an example of our work as we could ask for." -- Tony Bourdain9601280

Hong Kong, particularly the scene where a third-generation noodle maker practices his craft, rocking painfully and disfiguringly on his bamboo pole under the faded photos of his parents, encompassed everything I believe to be good and true about people who choose to make food the very best they can. It was a beautifully shot and edited sequence -- one of our very best. If our show is principally in the business of celebrating cooks -- wherever they may cook -- and in whatever circumstances -- then this was as good an example of our work as we could ask for." -- Tony Bourdain

Montana

Montana

"Montana, which opens with the great American author and poet Jim Harrison reading from his work, would have been a proud achievement for that alone: Jim Harrison is in it. That’s enough. But it’s also where I started to look at those parts of America so different than my own -- cowboy country, gun country, red state, Palin bumper sticker America , with a genuine affection I’d previously only felt for Vietnamese and South Americans and Europeans." - Tony Bourdain9601280

"Montana, which opens with the great American author and poet Jim Harrison reading from his work, would have been a proud achievement for that alone: Jim Harrison is in it. That’s enough. But it’s also where I started to look at those parts of America so different than my own -- cowboy country, gun country, red state, Palin bumper sticker America , with a genuine affection I’d previously only felt for Vietnamese and South Americans and Europeans." - Tony Bourdain

Sardinia

Sardinia

"Sardinia was a risky show, because it was so personal, and I had a whole new Italian/Sardinian family looking over my shoulder -- and more perilously -- I had chosen to include my wife. My wife’s father’s family in the mountain towns of that incredibly beautiful island were the best "fixers" any one could have hoped for. The cinematography was incredible. And the editors, in spite of the fact that I was sitting in their laps for much of the cut and making their lives miserable, responded with a beautiful and heartfelt love letter to what is for most people an unfamiliar culture." - Tony Bourdain9601280

"Sardinia was a risky show, because it was so personal, and I had a whole new Italian/Sardinian family looking over my shoulder -- and more perilously -- I had chosen to include my wife. My wife’s father’s family in the mountain towns of that incredibly beautiful island were the best "fixers" any one could have hoped for. The cinematography was incredible. And the editors, in spite of the fact that I was sitting in their laps for much of the cut and making their lives miserable, responded with a beautiful and heartfelt love letter to what is for most people an unfamiliar culture." - Tony Bourdain

Venice

Venice

"Venice was where we were really hitting a golden period for cinematography, I think. Using film lenses and adhering to a stylebook shamelessly lifted from works like Don’t Look Now and The Comfort of Strangers, we’d do things like wake up very early in the morning to shoot in Piazza San Marco -- intending to make the usually crowded Venice look empty and haunted. It’s an example of a show that came out just as we’d planned, looked and sounded like we wanted it to, and it also had the advantage of being filled with great characters and food." - Tony Bourdain9601280

"Venice was where we were really hitting a golden period for cinematography, I think. Using film lenses and adhering to a stylebook shamelessly lifted from works like Don’t Look Now and The Comfort of Strangers, we’d do things like wake up very early in the morning to shoot in Piazza San Marco -- intending to make the usually crowded Venice look empty and haunted. It’s an example of a show that came out just as we’d planned, looked and sounded like we wanted it to, and it also had the advantage of being filled with great characters and food." - Tony Bourdain

Rome

Rome

"Probably my favorite show of all of them. My proudest achievement. Why” Because it was so suicidally stupid. Because no one wanted it. Because everybody thought it was a bad idea to do a show in Rome—that most beautiful and colorful of cities—in black and white. : Instead of run and gun hand held cameras and fast editing, we shot stationary, with film lenses. Instead of no lighting and barely acceptable sound, we lit as if in a studio, made frequent use of subtitles." - Tony Bourdain9601280

"Probably my favorite show of all of them. My proudest achievement. Why” Because it was so suicidally stupid. Because no one wanted it. Because everybody thought it was a bad idea to do a show in Rome—that most beautiful and colorful of cities—in black and white. : Instead of run and gun hand held cameras and fast editing, we shot stationary, with film lenses. Instead of no lighting and barely acceptable sound, we lit as if in a studio, made frequent use of subtitles." - Tony Bourdain

El Bulli

El Bulli

"It was the most important restaurant in the world -- in its last days. And the greatest culinary artist of this or last century, Ferran Adria, had agreed to open his life and his kitchen to us. So it was important to get it right. We threw everything we had at it. Every camera, every technical innovation -- every creative idea we could come up with. We got the right guy -- the best guy -- Jose Andres -- to come along and show us, through personal reminisces, what it all meant -- and why it was important." - Tony Bourdain9601280

"It was the most important restaurant in the world -- in its last days. And the greatest culinary artist of this or last century, Ferran Adria, had agreed to open his life and his kitchen to us. So it was important to get it right. We threw everything we had at it. Every camera, every technical innovation -- every creative idea we could come up with. We got the right guy -- the best guy -- Jose Andres -- to come along and show us, through personal reminisces, what it all meant -- and why it was important." - Tony Bourdain

Holiday Specials

Holiday Specials

"Our last in a series of Holiday Specials was a high watermark of sorts. It has always been my belief that the pursuit of excellence in television is impossible if one does not regularly seek to cause terror and confusion at one’s network. The network’s sweetheart, Samantha Brown, playing herself as a crazed, vengeful, alcoholic and homicidal shut-in, pumped a bullet into my leg (spraying blood on a stuffed kitten) between pouring schnapps into a bowl of Fruity Pebbles." - Tony Bourdain9601280

"Our last in a series of Holiday Specials was a high watermark of sorts. It has always been my belief that the pursuit of excellence in television is impossible if one does not regularly seek to cause terror and confusion at one’s network. The network’s sweetheart, Samantha Brown, playing herself as a crazed, vengeful, alcoholic and homicidal shut-in, pumped a bullet into my leg (spraying blood on a stuffed kitten) between pouring schnapps into a bowl of Fruity Pebbles." - Tony Bourdain

Cajun Country

Cajun Country

"The pig slaughter and boucherie in the Cajun Country show is a personal favorite. It starts with a prayer. And it’s a scene I’m most grateful to the network for -- for leaving it alone. Pretty disturbing stuff to see a pig shot close-up to the brain. It’s ugly, and painful. But that’s what happens when you take a life for your dinner. And somebody, somewhere does -- every time you order a pork chop. We always work extra hard whenever we shoot in New Orleans or Louisiana -- to do right by them -- as they have been egregiously failed by so many others. Also, we love the place ferociously." -- Tony Bourdain9601280

"The pig slaughter and boucherie in the Cajun Country show is a personal favorite. It starts with a prayer. And it’s a scene I’m most grateful to the network for -- for leaving it alone. Pretty disturbing stuff to see a pig shot close-up to the brain. It’s ugly, and painful. But that’s what happens when you take a life for your dinner. And somebody, somewhere does -- every time you order a pork chop. We always work extra hard whenever we shoot in New Orleans or Louisiana -- to do right by them -- as they have been egregiously failed by so many others. Also, we love the place ferociously." -- Tony Bourdain

Tony Bourdain eats clams in Brooklyn

Watch It

Tony travels to Emilia Romagna, the "breadbasket of Italy," with acclaimed NYC chef Michael White. In a red Ferrari California, the 2 travel across the region, sampling the foods that make this part of Italy great.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Eastern Hemisphere trips in The Eastern Hemisphere Files - Volume 1, in which he explores Australia. In Melbourne, Tony meets up with Paul Wilson, a British chef, for a tour of Queen Victoria Market, a popular spot for locals. The market is filled with fresh produce, fish and cuts of meat. Paul's restaurant, the Half Moon, is also home to freshly cooked, delicious ingredients cooked to perfection, which Tony enjoys with Paul's local chefs friends. Another popular spot for local Melbournians is the trugo field. Trugo is a sport similar to croquet and bowling combined, which Tony's friend, Matt, introduces to him. After a couple drinks at a local bar, Matt and Tony enjoy dinner at Rumi, a fantastic example of Lebanese cuisine. Fried brains, soft-shell prawns, and a variety of roasted and marinated meats fill the dinner table. Upon Tony's arrival to Sydney, he and chef Matt Moran fly to Matt's family's lamb and beef farm, Greenhills Farms. Matt and his father show Tony how to properly butcher a lamb into various cuts, which they then throw on the "barbie" with some salt and oil. Next stop is Harry's Café de Wheels, which has the most famous and traditional meat pies in Sydney. Tony orders a curry tiger pie, or as he likes to call it, a "volcano of love," along with a ginger beer. Meat pie is followed by a boat ride to Olympic Park, where Tony sees his first Australian rugby game. The following morning, Tony finds himself fully suited in scuba gear and inside an aquatic tank, surrounded by 11-foot-long grey nurse sharks. Then Tony heads to Matt's local community restaurant Chiswick, which contains all the goodies from Matt's family's farm. Here, Tony and Matt feast on delicious slow-roasted lamb shoulder and Moran family beef.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's US trips in The US Files - Volume 2, in which he further explores California, Texas and Louisiana. In San Francisco, CA, Tony and his friend Oscar head to a local liquor store known for their cubana torta. This torta is filled with six different meats, avocado, cheese, jalapeños, tomato, mayo, and a fried egg. The next morning, Tony visits the Ferry Building Farmer's Market, home to fresh fruits and vegetables, welcoming people, and a delicious organic tamale plate. That afternoon, Tony takes a trip just across the Bay Bridge to Oakland, to visit Shelley Garza, an advocate for the local community, and samples some of the tasty tacos, burritos, and tamales that International Boulevard's taco trucks are known for. Back in San Francisco, Tony has dinner with chef and friend Chris Cosentino, a well-respected chef in the city, at Sushi Sebo. Course after course of toro, yellowtail, baby shrimp, sake, seabream head, and mackerel keeps Tony's mouth watering. Chris invites Tony to his restaurant, Incanto, a place known for serving up the nasty bits. Tony and a group of friends sit down for a delicious dinner of fried brains, spreadable salami, deep-fried ham crystals, and venison heart tartar. Then Tony heads to Austin, TX, to join in on the fun that is the food truck craze. He visits the El Taco Rico food truck for tacos and deep fried morning dove. He also snacks on delicious slow-cooked brisket, ribs and sausage at Franklin BBQ. Finally, Tony travels to Louisiana for Southern home cookin'. While dining on dirty rice, sweet potatoes, Boudin and cracklings, he discovers Cajun food is strikingly more rustic and less European than its Creole counterpart. This authentic food experience goes deeper yet when he is bestowed the honorable task of shooting a boucherie hog.

The best of Anthony Bourdain's Europe trips in The Europe Files - Vol. 3. He explores Italy and Greece. Tony battles the rain and wind for a taste of sea urchin and explores the tiny back-alleys of Venice for a local favorite.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Asia trips in The Asia Files - Volume 4. He visits Thailand, Laos and China. In Thailand, Tony gets an inside look at the lifestyle of a Muay Thai fighter with help from Eric Rivera, a finalist in the No Reservations' Fan Contest. He eats a breakfast of boiled pig parts, egg, and thick rice porridge and learns what it takes to live in Bangkok during a political upheaval. After that, he travels to Laos and explores the remnants of America's largest covert war. What he finds is a bombshell. Then Tony's off to Haerbin, China, where he meets a quirky businessman with a special taste for the American Wild West.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Caribbean trips in The Caribbean Files - Volume 1, in which he further explores Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Grenadine Islands. In Haiti, Tony walks the streets of Port Au Prince, taking in the destruction the earthquake left behind. After that, he meets up with Handy Tibert, a well-known face in the Haitian film industry, for a taste of Haitian street food. When Tony and Handy stop for chicken, rice and beans, and a spicy slaw, they quickly notice that passersby have stopped to watch, not because of the film crew, but because they are hungry. Tony and his crew make a quick decision to buy out the street food vendor and feed the onlookers. Unfortunately, a violent commotion erupts, which Tony pegs as a metaphor for what is wrong with so much well-intentioned aid effort around the world. The next day, Tony returns to the streets for the Day of the Dead. Usually this holiday is filled with celebration, but this year's festivities are a bit more somber as the Haitians visit the remains of their relatives lost in the quake. Afterwards, Tony meets with actor and humanitarian, Sean Penn, in the tent city built by his relief group, J/P Haitian Relief Organization. They sample chicken pies and explore the grounds, then look through inspiring pieces of art created by local Haitians. In the Dominican Republic, Tony meets filmmaker Juan Basanta for lunch. Empanadas, longanisa, Dominican peas, stewed goat and avocado salad are served alongside ice-cold Dominican beer. On the outskirts of town is the neighborhood of Villa Mella. Here, Tony meets up with local writer and magazine editor Ruben Lamarche for a celebration full of chicharron, pork deep-fried in lard. Tony heads to the Grenadine Islands where he meets chef and restaurateur Norman Van Aken for breakfast on the beach. They dine on barracuda, clawless lobsters and croissants that don't suck. Then he visits the small island of Bequia to hunt and feast on a large rodent. On St. Vincent, Tony fishes for crawfish and relaxes by a waterfall.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Europe trips in The Europe Files - Volume 2. He explores Spain, France and Italy. Tony visits the mecca of the gastronome community, El Bulli in Roses, Spain. Tony puts on his chef whites and joins chef Ferran and staff in the kitchen to make hazelnut churros and jam wontons wrapped in rose petals. Then, he gets to try all of the goods he helped prepare. Tony, Ferran and Jose Andres begin with cocktails served in forms such as flautas and cotton candy. In Paris, Tony examines the new generation of chefs with Eric Ripert. A bold new direction has these young, up and coming chefs, turning the world of fine dining upside down. Tony visits the island of Sardinia off the coast of Italy to visit with his wife Ottavias's family. Tony and Ottavia enjoy a delicious dinner at a local hotel - plates of fatty cured meats, panna carazao (the local bread staple), and multitudes of pastas. The next day, Tony sits down with Ottavia and her family for a meal of freshly-made pastas, cheeses, and meats, along with wild rabbit and partridge, topped off by fresh cheese and sweet honey. He then goes on a tour of the town of Orgosolo, known for the hundreds of murals that are representative of the political, economic, and cultural history of Sardinia.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Asia trips in The Asia Files - Volume 3. He travels to Sri Lanka, India and China to eat, drink and be merry. In Sri Lanka, Tony finds out there is such a thing as too many condiments when he digs into a local delicacy, lampries. Then he visits the tsunami-ravaged village of Seenigama where one man is doing what an entire government cannot. Just a short flight to Chochin, India, Anthony relaxes on a private barge sailing along the backwater of India with a bowl of fish head curry. Anthony tries his luck in the gambling capital of the world, Macau, China. It's also home to the world's tallest bungee jump... will he take the plunge?

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's US trips in The US Files - Volume 4, in which he further explores Montana, Illinois and Maine. Tony heads to Montana to visit a family of fourth-generation ranchers who not only run a cattle operation, but also a dude ranch. Then Tony heads to Livingston, MT, to try his luck at fly-fishing. Outfitted with the latest (and most flattering) gear, Tony is ready for his foray into fly fishing with local Dan Lahren, determined to make an on-camera catch. He meets with Russell Chatham, a renowned landscape painter, who has made Montana his home. Then Tony visits Chicago, IL, to meet with resident Peter Engler who, aside from studying mouse genetics for a living, also makes a hobby as a foodie, seeking out strange and delicious foods in little known places. They visit Fat Johnnies for a taste of the heart attack-inducing "Mighty Dog", a tamale and meaty chili on a bun. After that, Tony visits Hot Doug's, home to hot dog perfection. Not only does Hot Doug's serve the best hot dogs, they also serve French fries fried in pure duck fat, and of course... the foie gras dog. At the opposite end of the spectrum, avant-garde chef Homaro Cantu has been torching, deconstructing, and reinventing food for years at his restaurant Moto. He introduces Tony to some of his creations such as Road Kill, Cuban Cigars, and edible menus. Finally, Tony travels to Maine with his longtime cameraman and native Mainer, Zach Zamboni. Zach exposes Tony to the food and people of the "two Maines"- the civilized coastal area and the sparsely populated, untamed, interior region, which includes Zach's hometown of Milo.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Latin America trips in The Latin America Files - Volume 3, in which he further explores Mexico, Panama and Nicaragua. Tony meets his friends Carlos and Martin in Mexico City at Cantina La Mascota. In Mexico City, a cantina is a bar where the more you drink, the more delicious food is brought your way. After that, they head off to one of the training centers for Lucha Libre. Similar to the American WWE with a bit more flair, Lucha Libre is one of the great Mexican sports beloved by all. Champion wrestler El Octagon teaches the three friends a few moves in the ring and shows them why he is the reigning champion. Then they explore a bit of Mexico's history, traveling down river just as the Aztecs did hundreds of years ago. At the end of an isolated canal, the three come upon Diego Rivera living on the Island of the Dolls, a weirdly creepy wonderland filled with headless doll bodies, doll heads, and various body parts strewn throughout the trees. Sufficiently creeped out, Tony and friends need a drink to calm their nerves and head to a neighborhood joint serving up suspicious-looking fermented cactus sap that provides a happy buzz. Carlos takes Tony back to his family home in Pueblo, Mexico, where his relatives have gathered for a feast of epic proportions... from tamales to tortillas to the perfect mole poblano. In Panama, Tony treks through the Darien Gap, one of the most dangerous jungles in the world. From malaria to snakes with heads as large as your fist, the Darien is about as primordial as it gets. After braving the gap, Tony savors his continued existence. In Nicaragua, Tony meets up with a local, Walter Delgado, to discover what it truly means to live in Managua today. Tony moves on to the city of Esteli, and is given a traditional Sunday supper of mondongo, a tripe and vegetable stew. Finally Tony is taken to the butcher to buy pig's blood to help make blood sausage.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Europe trips in The Europe Files - Volume 4, in which he explores England, Romania and Austria. Tony visits London, one of his homes away from home. He looks into the dying, but ever-important trade of being a butcher at the Smithfield Market. With pork on the brain, Tony heads to St. John, widely considered one of the best restaurants in the world. Esteemed chef Fergus Henderson sees Tony's need for a little pig in his life and prepares a meal of innards, pork, and roast marrow. He then travels to Bucharest in Romania to meet up with his friend, Zamir. It is Zamir's 50th birthday and to celebrate, they head to Jaristea, a local themed restaurant complete with 1930s decor, antiques, traditional foods, and entertainment from Romanian musicians and dancers. Next stop, Dracula's castle! It is currently up for sale with the asking price estimated to be a cool $140 million. There must be better ways to spend $140 million, like staying at the House of Dracula Hotel next door. It is part hotel and part theme park, dedicated to capitalizing on the Dracula legend. Crowds of costumed tourists visit to eat, drink, dance, take part in bouts of archery and sword fighting, and watch the Miss Transylvania pageant. Then, Tony visits the Hotel Sacher in Austria to sample the famous Sachertorte. Though not a big fan of sweets, Tony enjoys the dry chocolate cake filled with apricot jam. Tony moves on to Gut Purbach, a famous restaurant owned by Max Stiegl. Max is unusual in that he raises his own Cameroon sheep, names them, cares for them, and then cuts their throats when it's dinnertime. Tony and writer Joaquin Reidel enjoy a meal of all the sheep's tender bits, including brain in red wine sauce, saffron tongue, gnocchi with heart, tripe salad, and sphincter sausage.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Asia trips in The Asia Files - Volume 5. He explores Iraq, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. In Iraq, he visits the Erbil Market and sips on traditional tea. Next, Tony and crew head to a picnic where Tony speaks with locals about how the area has been rapidly developing. They enjoy biryani, a common rice dish, grape leaves stuffed with rice, and meat kebabs. Later, Tony meets with American military personnel and discusses how relatively safe Kurdistan is compared to the rest of Iraq, as well as the future of the Kurdish nation. They enjoy shawarma, eggplant soup, okra, kebabs, and a pastry known as the gut bomb. Tony heads to Turkey for a classic Turkish breakfast of lamb, cheeses, breads, olives and strong tea. Then he gets the best tour of Istanbul from a very knowledgeable cab driver. Next, Tony meets up with a local artist to try lahmacun, a Turkish-style pizza and one of the original fast foods of Turkish cuisine. Next stop, Dubai. Tony stops at a Pakistani restaurant for a taste of the working class: curried mutton and chicken tikka. Finally, Tony goes snow skiing indoors at Ski Dubai inside the Mall of the Emirates to escape the sweltering heat.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Caribbean trips in The Caribbean Files - Volume 2, in which he further explores Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. In Kingston, Jamaica, Tony walks through Coronation Market, a sprawling market in the center of the city, known for being a political dividing line. Tony meets reporter Robert LaLah who gives him a tour of the grounds. They travel to Red Hills Road, known for its Friday night street food scene. Tony samples drum pan chicken, otherwise known as street jerk chicken. Tony spends the next morning relaxing on family-friendly Hellshire Beach. Tony and his friend Sarah Manley prepare a traditional pepper fish meal, and enjoy it while watching the locals. Jamaica is home to a large number of underground caves, and with the help of the Jamaican Caves Organization, Tony and his crew descend into the depths of a bat infested cave. In the Dominican Republic, Tony heads to Boca Chica, Santa Domingo's local beach. Filmmaker and surfer Ivan takes Tony to Wendy's for a lunch of fried fish, fried sweet potatoes, avocado and yaniqueques: crunchy tortillas served as a light snack. The next morning, Tony meets Jerry, a longtime friend and cameraman, for breakfast at El Cabito, a small restaurant run by European expats. Over a salad of fresh conch and cuttlefish, grilled shrimp and beer, Tony and Jerry reminisce about their days working together. In Havana, Cuba, Tony sits down with Roberto Salas, Castro's favorite photographer, to talk about his photos and his life in the socialist country. They dine on roasted chicken with orange sauce and rice and beans. Then Tony heads to the market to meet with Elizabeth Espinoza, who is known locally as Godmother. In a country where most restaurants are state-owned, she runs a private establishment out of her home. Here, Tony enjoys pan-fried port, yucca, rice and beans. Lastly, Tony visits a barbershop where the camera shy proprietor gives him the closest shave in the history of man.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Latin America trips in The Latin America Files - Volume 4, in which he further explores Colombia, Brazil and Chile.
In Cartagena, Colombia, Tony joins chef Jorge Escandon at his restaurant, La Cevicheria, for some delicious fresh seafood. They visit the Central market and enjoy a meal with local market workers at Cecilia. Across the channel from Cartagena is Tierra Bomba, an island with a completely different way of life than its bustling sister city. Arnufo, a local lobster fisherman, invites Tony and Jorge to a meal at his mother's restaurant, complete with lobster that Arnufo caught that morning. Back on the mainland, Jorge shows Tony a popular late-night snack in the town of San Antonio: fried pig intestines and boiled pig ears. In Belem, Brazil, Tony meets up with Felipe, a local food enthusiast, and chef Oliviera de Ofir, an expert on indigenous Amazonian cuisine. Tony is led to the fish market, where he is introduced to the massive filhote catfish. He convinces the fishmonger to slice a sashimi-thin piece from the belly and eats it raw, something unheard of in Brazil. It was fantastic. Tony heads down the Amazon with his guide Caito, to meet up with Dr. Urano Carualho, a botanist specializing in Amazonian fauna. Dr. Carualho collects the prized acai berry and shows Tony how it is prepared. Next, Tony heads to Mexiana Island, where an enormous fish is said to lurk. Tony is determined to find the pirarucu, a prehistoric delicacy. With the help of local fishermen they set off into the jungle, moving through murky water until an enormous form breaks the water's surface. After landing in Santiago, Chile, Tony's friend Raul takes him to a country town in the Corrico Valley to experience a favorite pastime in Chile: the rodeo. Yes, there are horses, cowboys, and ropes, this rodeo is as much about the food as it is about the action.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's Europe trips in The Europe Files - Volume 5, in which he explores Scotland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Croatia.
Tony lands in Edinburgh, Scotland to meet with one of his literary heroes, Ian Rankin, a best-selling crime author. However, before he was a crime author, Rankin worked as a grape-picker, swineherd, taxman, alcohol researcher, and punk musician. Then Tony journeys to Romania, a land with a legacy of a Communist regime that still haunts its villages and countryside. Tony and Zamir head into the Romanian countryside in their rented Dacia, the national car of Romania. Tony and his friend Zamir reach the Maramures region in Northern Romania, an area of villages preserved in almost medieval isolation. In the village of Vadu Izei lives Zamir's aunt, Bell Doina, who is busy preparing for Zamir's birthday celebration that night. There's live music, food, plenty of drinks, and a golden brown pig. Next, Tony visits Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and the world's capital for beer. With the help of some local experts, Tony tests the new culinary landscape in the "city of spires." Finally, he's off to Croatia, now touted as The New Riviera. Celebrities and oligarchs swarm the coastal islands as foodies roam the hills in search of truffles, wild asparagus and local wineries. Tony explores the Istria and Dalmatian regions and literally gets knocked off his feet by what he finds.

Every man has a weakness, and Tony's is pork. He feasts on SPAM sushi in Hawaii, then noshes on a pig and boar crossbreed in Austria. Sexy food calls his name in Australia, where he devours spicy pig heart and tongue.

We've compiled the best of Anthony Bourdain's US trips in The US Files - Volume 5, in which he further explores Missouri and Michigan. In West Plains, MO, Tony meets up with author and Ozark native, Daniel Woodrell, to go fishing for sucker fish, known for sucking on the bottom of rivers and streams. Before they start, they chow down on yesterday's catch: deep-fried suckers with fried potatoes, red onions, and hush puppies on the side. Night falls and it's time to start fishing. As Tony tries to get the hang of it, disaster strikes. Daniel falls and breaks his shoulder. The next night, Tony is invited on a raccoon hunt. This tradition is more about the dogs than the prey, as the men compete to see whose hound is the best. Afterwards, they enjoy a meal of roasted raccoon, potatoes, baked beans, and cornbread. One of the men honors Tony with a thoughtful gift of raccoon penis bone. The next day, his new friend Alan brings Tony to a duck hunt. Alan regales Tony with hunting stories before shooting a few ducks down. After learning that Alan doesn't like duck meat, Tony makes it his mission to change his mind by cooking him duck breast. Tony and his friend Zamir visit Detroit, MI, and are introduced to John, a laid-off steel worker. John takes them to Polonia, a restaurant in the Polish section of town, for a Polish feast. They then meet up with Rashid, a man who coincidentally was evacuated from Beirut on the same boat as Tony and the crew during the 2006 war. They enjoy good conversation over a typical Middle Eastern meal of hummus, falafel, baba ghanoush, and more. After that, it's time for a game of Featherbowling, a game very similar to Bocce and a favorite pastime in Detroit. Finally, Tony visits chef Brian Polcyn in Ann Arbor, MI, for a lesson on charcuterie, and of course a taste.

From gorgeous coastlines to cowboys to a cold beer, paradise looks different to everyone. Tony cuts into local steaks on the cliffs of Chile, then snacks on seared ahi tuna and zips through Oahu's North Shore on a jet ski.

ThursdayJanuary 19

12pm | 11c

About the Show

In his Emmy Award winning series, Anthony Bourdain travels the globe to explore the cities, villages and countries that offer life’s truest surprises.